Phoenix City Council Rejects Measure To Review Police Handling Of Trump Protesters

The Democrat-led Phoenix city council rejected a measure Wednesday calling for an independent review of the police department’s handling of anti-Trump protesters following the president’s August 22 rally in the city.

The move came despite an angry crowd taking over the council meeting and calling on city officials to hold the police department accountable for the supposedly excessive use of force.

During public testimony that lasted over five hours, more than 100 people, one by one, voiced their anger to the city council about the police conduct after the rally.

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“Heads need to roll over what happened to those of us who were non-violently protesting,” one man said, adding that his face had been cut by projectiles police fired into the crowd.

“We have already feared the police too long,” another woman said. “And now you attack us. We were there peacefully.”

The police called on the protesters to disperse, and then employed escalating measures starting with smoke grenades, followed by balls of pepper spray, and then stun grenades and stronger tear gas, Williams said.

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Four arrests were made that night and two people were later charged with aggravated assault on a police officer.

One of those charged, 29-year-old Joshua Cobin, became the subject of viral internet video when he was hit in the groin by a pepper spray ball after defying police orders to leave the area.

Phoenix City Manager Ed Zuercher, who submitted the proposal calling for an independent review of the police department’s conduct, pulled it on Wednesday before a final vote was completed.

Local Fox affiliate KSAZ reported that five council members had voted down the measure when Zuercher pulled it. The council is made up of six Democrats and three Republicans.

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, a Democrat who had called on Trump to cancel the rally, was supportive of an independent review of the police conduct, according to KSAZ.

Republican Councilman Jim Waring praised the actions of the police department as the council meeting was drawing to a close.